Packaging of sleeves



Nov. 7, 1967 I s. J. McGUlRE 3,351,190

PACKAGING 0]? SLEEVES Filed May 17, 1965 ff. 1 2 fig. 2

Y WR.

United States Patent 3,351,190 PACKAGING 0F SLEEVES Sigmund J. McGuire, 15042 Bothell Way, Seattle, Wash. 98125 Filed May 17, 1965, Ser. No. 456,195 12 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE This invention is for the packaging of hollow flexible sleeves on a backing material. The sleeves are attached to the backing material by means of a releasable adhesive. The backing material is attached, in certain instances, to a stiff stiffner. With a hole in the stiifner, it is possible for a person to hand the package of sleeves on a page and to remove one sleeve at a time as desired.

In electrical circuits, it is often desirable to have the lead wires grouped in bundles. One of the ways to group wires in bundles is to place a flexible sleeve around the wires. An applicator is used to expand the sleeve so as to allow the wires to pass through the sleeve.

This invention is for the packaging of these sleeves so as to allow the easy removal for application to a bundle of sleeves.

Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a package of sleeves of any length; any width; any combination of markers depending on the specification of the buyer; any color; a package of sleeves capable of being suspended from a peg; a package of sleeves in a roll; a package of sleeves on a swing tab; a package of sleeves in a round or a rolled dispenser; a package of sleeves whereby it is easy to remove the sleeve from the backing of the applicator; a package of sleeves of any size; a sleeve capable of identifying a bundle of wires; a package of sleeves whereby the sleeve can easily be removed; a package of sleeves which may be used for inventory control; and, an inexpensive package of sleeves and an inexpensive method for packaging the sleeves.

These and other important objects and advantages of the invention Will be more particularly brought forth upon reference to the accompanying drawing, the detailed specification of the invention and the appended claims.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front elevational view of a specific embodiment of the package constructed in accordance with the preferred teachings thereof;

FIGURE 2 is a side elevational view of the suspended from a peg;

FIGURE 3, on an enlarged scale, illustrates the removal of a sleeve by means of an applicator from the base materials;

FIGURE 4 is a view looking at the tines in the sleeves;

FIGURE 5 is an end view looking at three tines of the applicator in the sleeve;

FIGURE 6 is a view looking at a base material having tubes positioned laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base material;

FIGURE 7 is an isometric view looking at a ribbon of base material with sleeves on the ribbon and which ribbon and sleeves are inside of the roll dispenser; and

FIGURE 8 illustrates a sleeve for holding a bundle of wires.

With reference to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is seen that there is illustrated a package 10 of sleeves 12. The sleeves 12 are mounted on a base material 14.

The sleeves 12 may be of plastic such as rubber or other suitable plastic. The base material 14 may be a sheet material such as paper or a plastic.

In FIGURE 1 is it seen that there are ten columns of package as 3,351,190 Patented Nov. 7, 1967 tubes and in each column there are ten rows of tubes. A sleeve in a column is mounted so that the longitudinal axis of the sleeve is laterally positioned with respect to the longitudinal axis of the column. It is to be understood that each column is separated from each adjacent column except at the base, or in FIGURE 1, at the upper part of the column. The base material 14 of the column joins with a stiffener 16. The stiffener 16 may be a backing material and may be of cardboard or paper or plastic or other suitable material. Also, the stitfener may be folded back on itself, see FIGURE 2, so as to have a back face 16 and a front face 18. In the stiifener there is a hole or a passageway 20. The hole or passageway 20 is in both the front face 18 and the back face 16. In FIGURES 1 and 2 is is seen that a peg 22 is in the hole or passageway 20. The package 10 may be suspended or hung from the peg 22.

There may be transparent envelope 24 over the sleeves 12, the base material 14 and the stiffener 16 and 18. This transparent envelope may be of cellophane or other suitable plastic.

In use, the transparent envelope is removed and the package of sleeves is suspended from the peg 22.

In FIGURE 3 there is illustrated the removal of the sleeves 12 from the base material 14 of the package 10. It is seen that an applicator 25 has three fingers 26. Each of these fingers 26 bend at right angles into tines 28. At rest, the three tines 28 are positioned close to each other. With the columns of sleeves suspended, it i possible to position the three tines in a sleeve and then expand the tines outwardly as illustrated in FIGURE 5. It is seen that the sleeve is expanded and stretched to take the configuration of an equilateral triangle.

From FIGURE 3 it is seen that a person may arrange the bundle of Wires as desired and hold this bundle of wires with one hand and, by means of the applicator 24, remove a sleeve 12 from a base material 14 and, then, apply the sleeve 12 over the wires 30, 32, 34 and 36 as illustrated in FIGURE 8. It is not necessary to lay down the wires and place a sleeve over the applicator and, then, pick up and rearrange the wires before applying the sleeve. Or, to express it differently, there is a saving of time for the worker as he can quickly apply the sleeve 12 to the wires. This saving of time, on the part of the worker, means a lower selling price of the product.

In FIGURE 7 there is illustrated another package 40 of sleeves. The container for this package comprises a first half 42 and a second half 44. The first half 42 has a flat circular base 46 and a circumscribing wall 48. In the wall 48 there is a slot or opening 50. The second half 44 has a flat circular base 52 and a circumscribing wall 54. In the wall 54 there is a slot or opening 56. It is seen that the length of the. wall 54 is approximately half of the length of the wall 48. The internal diameter of the Wall 54 is slightly greater than the external diameter of the wall 48 so that the wall 54 fits over the wall 48.

In the package 40, there is a coil of sleeves 12 on a base material 56. The coil of sleeves 12 may be placed inside of the two halves 42 and 44 with the base material 56 projecting out of the openings 50 and 56. A user of the sleeves 12 may place the tines 28 inside of the sleeves 12 and, then, remove the sleeve 12 as previously stated.

This method of packaging the sleeves makes it possible to readily unwind or uncoil thesleeves as'used. Also, it is seen that a large number of the same sleeve may be placed in a small receptacle.

' In FIGURE 6 there is illustrated a method for making the sleeves 12 on thescolumns 14 and the package 20 or making the sleeves 12 on the base material 56 and the package 40. The method comprises placing a base material 60 on a surface and, then, positioning a bar 62 laterally with respect to the longitudinal axis of the base material 60. Then, there may be a tube 64 of flexible material positioned next to the bar. It is seen in FIGURE 6 that there are ten tubes 64 of flexible material positioned with one tube next to the bar 62 and, then, one tube adjacent to the other tube. Also, it is seen that there is a blank space 66 on the base material 50 and, again, ten additional tubes are placed next to each other.

The base material 60 may be cut laterally to the lower edge of the bottom tube 64. This leaves an upper blank space 66. Then, the base material 60 may be cut longitudinally, and the tubes 64 may be cut laterally to form both rows and columns of tubes. As illustrated in FIG- URE 1, there may be ten rows and ten columns of tubes. Then the blank material 66 of the base material 60, may be attached to a stiffener having back face 16 and front face 18. A transparent cellophane envelope 24 is placed over the sleeves, the base material and the stiffener; and, then, a hole 20 is punched in the package.

Or, an innumerable number of tubes 64 may be placed on the base material 60 and the tubes and base material cut to form a long ribbon of base material and tubes. Then the base material and tubes may be rolled into a coil and placed in a package 40 as illustrated in FIGURE 7.

The sleeves 12 may be of different colors. Also, these sleeves may have different indicia on them for identification purposes. In FIGURES 1 and 3, the sleeves have different numerals on them for different identification purposes. It is to be realized that the sleeves may have letters as well as numerals or a combination of letters and numerals or other identifying indicia. The sleeves may be of any desired length or may be of any desired internal diameter. Also, the sleeve may be used for inventory control. The number of packages of sleeves used is well known. The number of sleeves in a package is well known. By counting the number of packages of sleeves, it is possible to know the number of wires which have been bundled or the number of pieces of equipment which have been produced. Then, it is possible to determine inventory by the number of sleeves which have been used.

From the foregoing, it is seen that I have provided a sleeve for use in electrical work and which sleeve can be readily removed from the backing material for use in bundling wires. Also, I have provided a sleeve which can be used for identification purposes either due to its color or indicia on the sleeve or a combination of color and indicia.

Having presented my invention, what I claim is:

1. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-by-side relationship; and

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves.

2. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a flexible base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-by-side relationship; and

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves.

3. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) abase material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-by-side relationship and in an end-to-end relationship; and

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves.

4. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves arranged in rows and columns on said base material with the sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-byside relationship and in an end-to-end relationship; and

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves,

5. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves arranged in rows and columns on said base material so as to be in a side-by-side relationship and in an end-toend relationship;

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves;

(d) a stiffener;

(c) said stiffener and said base material being connected; and

(f) a hole in said stiffener.

6. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-by-side relationship;

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base ma.-

terial and the sleeves; and

(d) indicia on said sleeves.

7. A combination of a package of sleeves and a peg,

said combination comprising:

(a) a base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another .in a side-by-side in an end-toend relationship;

(c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves;

(d) a stiffener;

(c) said stiffener and said base material being connected;

(f) a hole in said stiffener; and

(g) said peg being in said hole.

8. A package of sleeves, said package comprising:

(a) a flexible base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adja cent one to another in a side-by-side relationship; (c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves;

(d) said base material being a ribbon having a length many times its width;

(c) said base material having a width about equal to the length of the sleeve; and

(f) said sleeve being arranged on the base material with its longitudinal axis at about right angles to the longitudinal axis of the base material.

9. A combination of a package of sleeves and a dispenser, said package comprising:

(a) a flexible base material;

(b) a plurality of hollow flexible sleeves lying adjacent one to another in a side-by-side relationship; (c) a bonding agent adhering together the base material and the sleeves;

(d) said base material being a ribbon having a length many times its width;

(c) said base material having ,a width about equal to the length of the sleeve;

(f) said sleeve being arranged on the base material with its longitudinal axis at about right angles to the longitudinal axis of the base material;

(g) said dispenser comprising two cups;

(h) each cup having a base and a circumscribing wall;

and

(i) an opening in one of the walls through which he base material can project.

10. A method for making a package of hollow flexible sleeves, said method comprising:

(a) stretching out a base material having an adhesive on its exposed face;

(b) positioning laterally a barrier across the base material;

(c) positioning laterally a first flexible tube across the base material and abutting the barrier in a side-byside relationship;

(d) positioning laterally a second flexible tube across the base material and abutting the first flexible tube in a side-by-side relationship; and

(e) severing longitudinally the base material and severing laterally the tubes to form sleeves positioned on the ribbons of the base material in a side-by-side relationship and in an end-to-end relationship,

11. A method for making a package of hollow flexible sleeves, said method comprising:

(a) stretching out a base material having an adhesive on its exposed face;

(b) positioning laterally a barrier across the base material;

(c) positioning laterally a first flexible tube across the base material and abutting the barrier in a side-byside relationship;

(d) positioning laterally a second flexible tube across the base material and abutting the first flexible tube in a side-by-side relationship;

(e) severing longitudinally the base material and severing laterally the tubes to form sleeves positioned on the ribbons of the base material; and

(f) making a coil out of the ribbon and the sleeves.

12. A method for making a package of hollow flexible 3O sleeves, said method comprising:

(a) stretching out a base material having an adhesive on its exposed face;

(b) positioning laterally a barrier across the base material;

(c) positioning laterally a first flexible tube across the base material and abutting the barrier in a side-byside relationship;

((1) positioning laterally a second flexible tube across the base material and abutting the first flexible tube in a side-by-side relationship;

(e) attaching the base material to a stiffener; and

(f) severing longitudinally the base material and severing laterally the tubes to form sleeves on ribbons of base material to have a plurality of sleeves arranged in roWs and columns on said base material so that the sleeves are in a sideby-side relationship and in an end-to-end relationship.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 735,757 8/1903 Grubbs 20656 791,257 5/1905 Erwin et al. 312-73 2,769,533 11/1956 Booth 20656 2,788,121 4/1957 Ayres 20645.33 2,831,277 4/1948 Strachan 20656 3,037,621 6/1962 Jackman 2067 3,255,873 6/1966 Speelman 20656 THERON E. CONDON, Primary Examiner.

W. T. DIXSON, Assistant Examiner. 

9. A COMBINATION OF A PACKAGE OF SLEEVES AND A DISPENSER, SAID PACKAGE COMPRISING: (A) A FLEXIBLE BASE MATERIAL; (B) A PLURALITY OF HOLLOW FLEXIBLE SLEEVES LYING ADJACENT ONE TO ANOTHER IN A SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP; (C) A BONDING AGENT ADHERING TOGETHER THE BASE MATERIAL AND THE SLEEVES; (D) SAID BASE MATERIAL BEING A RIBBON HAVING A LENGTH MANY TIMES ITS WIDTH; (E) SAID BASE MATERIAL HAVING A WIDTH ABOUT EQUAL TO THE LENGTH OF THE SLEEVE; (F) SAID SLEEVE BEING ARRANGED ON THE BASE MATERIAL WITH ITS LONGITUDINAL AXIS AT ABOUT RIGHT ANGLES TO THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF THE BASE MATERIAL; (G) SAID DISPENSER COMPRISING TWO CUPS; (H) EACH CUP HAVING A BASE AND A CIRCUMSCRIBING WALL; AND (I) AN OPENING IN ONE OF THE WALLS THROUGH WHICH THE BASE MATERIAL CAN PROJECT. 